Shifting Shadows is a great short story collection for both the
Mercy Thompson fan as well as new readers who are interested in picking
this wonderful urban fantasy series. The stories presented in this
collection give a really good context of Mercy's world and the types of
characters that inhabit it.

Description:Mercy Thompson’s world just got a whole lot bigger. A
collection of all-new and previously published short stories featuring
Mercy Thompson, “one of the best heroines in the urban fantasy genre
today” (Fiction Vixen Book Reviews), and the characters she calls
friends.

Review: With the exception of Alpha and Omega, all of the short stories presented in this collection are new to me. I appreciated the prefaces to each of the story, explaining the author's intent as well as where these short stories fit in the Mercy Thompson series.
Some of the stories filled in the blanks to some questions I had for quite some time such as when did Samuel and Bran become werewolves and at what age? There other stories that were a bit of a departure from the Mercyverse but were still pleasant to read. My favorite short story in this collection is Roses in Winter which allows us a glimpse of the softer, kinder side of an off-kilter character named Asil also known as The Moor who believes he is on the verge of insanity. Asil is a character that fascinates but also scares me. You never know what is going to set him off, but like many of Brigg's characters there are many layers to him. In Roses in Winter we see Asil cling to humanity by becoming a mentor to a young werewolf. This story, particularly the character of Asil was a nice surprise. Another character who at first seemed to be standoffish and menacing that has grown to be caring is Ben, who also goes through a great character growth and transformation in his aptly titled short story called Redemption. If you are a fan of the Mercy Thompson series do pick up this collection and if you have been considering reading this series but haven't been sure, read a few of the stories get so you can get acquainted with the wonderful world and characters.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong violence, language, and allusions to sex scenes. Recommended for older teens and adults.

If you like this book try: Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, Chicago Vampire series by Chloe Neil, Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong

My Features

About Me

I am a librarian at Maine East High School. The opinions and content of this blog are my own and are not that of my employer.
Note to Authors/Publishers: If you would like me to read and review your book, please read my Review Policy.